1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions applied to the skin for cosmetic and healing purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Both cosmetic creams and healing creams are well known. Both of these types of topically applied compositions are frequently made with a petroleum base to deliver pigments and healing factors to the skin.
Cosmetic creams typically include a hydrocarbon base in combination with pigments. Occlusive natural oils and synthetic long-chain hydrocarbons have been used in construction of modern makeup or foundation bases. Such oils and hydrocarbons impart sheen, function as binders for the waxy components in the formula, and form the bases of the oil phase of conventional emulsion systems.
Physicians often prescribe to patients wound-healing creams to expedite healing of wounds and the surrounding skin. Live yeast cell extract (LYCE), Aloe Vera, colostrum and Vitamin E are examples of common healing factors, LYCE, which has been variously called Biodynes, Skin Respiratory Factors, and Tissue Respiratory Factors, can be harvested from the nucleus of saccharmoyces cerevisiae cells after the yeast has been cultured in an appropriate nutritional media and then stressed by heat, or by UV radiation (˜286 nm), x-rays or chemical injury. Irradiation and especially elevated temperatures produce heat stress, or heat-shock proteins, in all cells (Demple, B. 1998. Signal transduction: a bridge to control. Science 279(5357) 1655). Elevated temperature causes cellular proteins to lose their three-dimensional structure, and heat stress proteins are capable of restoring the original configuration. If the cell is then removed and its protoplasm concentrated, LYCE may be obtained. LYCE can be prepared as an alcohol extract of viable Saccharomyces Lysate. LYCE stimulates wound oxygen consumption, epitheliazation, and collagen synthesis. In topical medicinal preparations, LYCE is characterized and quantified in terms of Skin Respiratory Factor (SRF) units. A unit of activity is calculated as the amount of SRF which is required to increase the oxygen uptake of 1 mg of dry weight rat abdominal skin by 1 percent at the end of a 1 hour testing period in a Warburg apparatus.
LYCE-biofactors harvested from saccharmoyces cerevisiae contain nutrients such as peptides, proteins, amino acids, minerals carbohydrates, nucleic acid and other gene products. After processing, LYCE-biofactors are clear and sediment-free, retaining the active components without the dark color or odor of the starting material (Fishman, H. M. 2001. Yeast Has Applications In The Cosmetics Industry, HAPPI, July, 42). LYCE biofactors may induce a respiratory response in viable cells, as measured by Warburg Assay, by spectrophotometric absorbance, or by oxygen electrode measurement of cultured human fibroblasts (Lods, L., D. Scholz, C. Dres, C. Johnson & G. Brooks. 2000. Peroxide-Inducible Protective Factors Produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cosmet & Toil 115(12) 61-6. Fishman, H. M. 2001. Yeast Has Applications In The Cosmetics Industry, HAPPI, July, 42). Further, when delivered to the lower strata of the skin, LYCE biofactors stimulate oxygen consumption by viable cells, causing cellular proliferation and collagen and elastin synthesis.
Temporary cosmetic side effects, such as swelling, bruising, or visible scars, commonly result from plastic surgery or other injuries to skin. It may take days, weeks, or even months before wounds heal and such side effects disappear. Historically, healing creams and cosmetic creams have been used independently to heal and disguise skin wounds.